What It All Comes Down To
by InspirationFollows
Summary: Love comes and goes in many forms, but each of them are as special as the last. But, sometimes, they aren't what you'd expect them to be. Song-inspired one-shots written for Reggie's Sokkla week, link is inside.
1. Heaven

Title: Heaven  
Song: Heaven by Bryan Adams (Remixed by DJ Sammy and Yanou)  
Summery: Thoughts on afterlife lead to interesting revelations.  
Characters: (Do not belong to me, they are copyrighted to their original owners) Sokka and Azula  
Rating: K+  
Words: 1,247 words

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Author's Notes:

This is my first Sokkla fic (And my first Avatar fanfic, too!) written for Reggie's Sokkla week. You can read about it in her journal: http:(2 blackslashes)ode2sokka(period)deviantart(period)com(backslash)journal(backslash)19851858(backslash)  
I haven't actually watched through the whole series, so forgive any OOC that just slipped in there, I tried to keep them in character.  
Also, this is a bit of a different style, I tried to keep it light and fluffy, and since it was written in my notebook and not typed up originally, the paragraphs are a lot shorter than usual.  
Hope you liked it!

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Azula wasn't known for being calm and placid. In fact, she was quite infamous for being brash and impulsive. So, Sokka was genuinely surprised when he say her lying peacefully on a grassy hill far from the palace one night.

"Are you dead or something?" he asked jokingly while standing on the hill above her head. When she didn't respond, he stepped sideways and plopped down next to her. One glance confirmed that, no, she was not asleep. So, Sokka, being the charming gentleman that he was, poked her in the arm. Hard. She rolled over onto her side to glare at him.

"Oh, good. So you're not drugged," he said cheerily, ignoring the eyes that were currently trying to shoot daggers at him.

"No, I'm not," Azula replied stiffly. "I'd know if I was, and besides, I'd like to see them try," she huffed proudly. Sokka chuckled in appreciation.

"I'd pay to see that." Azula's face softened slightly and she stopped bristling now that she saw he wasn't here just to tease her.

"Why are you here?" she asked as she rolled onto her back again. "Besides the fact that you couldn't resist my beautiful looks and charming wit, of course." Sokka lay back too, resting his head on his hands.

"Well, I was walking, and then this pigmy came up and told me there was this goddess lying nearby, and I just had to come and see-" He was cut off by Azula's harsh chuckle.

"Liar. Pygmies can't talk," she taunted, playing along with his story just because she was bored.

"Sokka smiled, half because he knew she was just going along with it for the fun of it, and half because, well, since when did Azula make a joke, let alone play along with someone else's?

"Yeah, well…this one could." He turned away, mocking anger and annoyance that she had shot down his (faulty) excuse.

Azula smirked slightly. This was…unusual for her, to play along with something like this, but it was surprisingly easy. Was it like this for everyone, or was it just because it was Sokka, him being so easy to tease and joke with anyways.

She looked over at her companion. Sokka's head was on the ground now; he had his arms crossed across his chest in another part of his charade. His brow was creased and his lips formed a pout, even though she knew that when he was angry his face became smooth and he went tight-lipped in concentration against whatever was aggravating him. It was cute how he only pouted when he was trying to appear offended, a sure sight that he was bluffing.

Wait. Cute? Azula backpedaled frantically, trying to figure out what had gone through her head to make her think that. Why had she thought that? He was attractive, sure, and stunningly handsome in a child-like way, but that didn't mean she had a crush on him. She, of course, was attracted to hot guys, just like every other girl, and there was no denying that Sokka fell into that category. But there were a bunch of guys who looked good shirtless, even if Sokka was tanner from his travels, and a lot of guys wore their hair long and managed not to look girly. Of course, most of the other guys…no, scratch that, _all_ of the other guys didn't have eyes that even came close to the incredible ice-blue orbs that were Sokka's eyes, and his voice did weird things to her heartbeat and breathing that had never happened before…

Oh, who was she kidding? She definitely liked Sokka. So what? He didn't have to know, did he? No, it could be her secret.

Azula focused her attention back to the real being, who had started talking.

"Okay, I lied. It wasn't actually a pigmy that told me, it was a flying turtle. So, why are you here again?" His voice was laced with sarcasm, but Azula could tell he was honestly curious. She might as well give him an honest answer in return.

"I was thinking."

Sokka made a face at her. "You? Thinking? Nah." She punched him lightly on the arm. "Ow! Okay, okay, so you were 'thinking' if that's what you want to call it." Azula shot him a glare, which he ignored just like the first. "Thinking about what?" he asked, in all seriousness. Azula was surprised.

"You really want to know?" she scoffed.

Sokka nodded eagerly, like a kid offered a piece of candy. She almost laughed at the mental image of Sokka with a giant lollipop, but, luckily, she had more self control than that.

"About the stars. The sky. If there's anything beyond them. If there's anything beyond death," she responded. Sokka must have been expecting something else, because he didn't even make a comment about how, "morbidly depressing your train of thought was, and maybe you should see a doctor about that," or something along those lines.

"That's deep," he said finally. "Why so thoughtful?"

Azula shrugged. "Do you believe in life after death? Are we reincarnated, like Aang and the previous avatars, or do we die and go to heaven, if we're lucky and we've been good enough?"

Sokka sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I don't know," he admitted. "Who says we go anywhere at all? Maybe we don't, and instead it's just blackness and we don't even realize we're dead?"

Azula twisted to look at him. "So, then, you don't believe in heaven?"

Now it was Sokka's turn to shrug. "Whether I believe in it or not doesn't change anything. Even if I say no, what happens after I die will be the same as if I say yes."

"That's true," Azula breathed. "That's awfully complex for you, are you sure you didn't strain anything?"

It was dark out, but there was enough light to see Sokka stick his tongue out at her. She laughed, not the usual chuckle she always gave, but real, full-blown laughter. She didn't know why she was opening up so freely, talking, teasing, and laughing like this. She was always so reserved; it was almost scary to see how fast Sokka had brought her out of her shell.

"I take back what I said earlier." Azula started at Sokka's words.

"What?"

"I take back what I said earlier," he repeated. Azula blinked. When had he gotten so close?

"I believe in heaven. It's where I am now." And then his lips were on hers.

They were slightly chapped and fumbled a bit, but to Azula, it was pure bliss. Her lips responded of their own will, moving against his even before she realized what was going on. She opened her mouth when Sokka brushed his tongue against her lower lip, and she pressed her own lightly against his. It became passionate quickly, and they intertwined and twisted against each other. Slowly, Sokka disentangled himself and pulled away slightly. They two of them lay there facing each other, sucking in large gulps of air.

"You're right." Azula pushed the hair out of her face. "This is heaven," she said before pulling Sokka closer to capture his lips again.


	2. Life Keeps On Running

Title: Life Keeps Running  
Song: Then You Looked at Me by Celine Dion  
Summery: Sokka's been naughty, again, and Azula's out on the hunt.  
Characters: (Do not belong to me, they are copyrighted to their original owners) Sokka and Azula, as well as some random palace staff I made up.  
Rating: K+  
Words: 673 words

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Author's Notes:  
The second day of Reggie's Sokkla week, read about it here: http:(2 blackslashes)ode2sokka(period)deviantart(period)com(backslash)journal(backslash)19851858(backslash)  
Once again, my time lines and characters will be off, I'm sorry. And I'm not sure what happened to Azula and Zuko's mother, but for the sake of this story, let's just say she's dead and the dagger is the only thing that Azula has left.  
I apologize for the shortness, when I have more free time I'll come back and edit this and make it longer, but right now I just have so much going on.

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"SOKKA!" Normally, the palace staff would have been surprised to see their princess dashing down the halls with her skirts hiked up, one shoe missing, and her hair disheveled, all the while screaming her lungs off at the figure running frantically ahead of her. But, then again, said figure seemed prone to creating strange circumstances wherever he went, so the staff just shrugged it off with a chuckle and returned to their work.

"Sokka! Get back here! Oh, you are so dead when I catch you!" Azula's voice echoed down the halls, but it only made Sokka run faster. Azula growled and ripped off her remaining shoe, leaving it on the ground like its partner somewhere behind her. She couldn't run in them, anyways.

Sokka laughed defiantly as he rounded a corner and disappeared. Azula hiked her skirts up even harder and sped after him, only to be met with an empty hallway and a row of doors on either side, no Sokka in sight. She slowed and cursed mildly under her breath. She'd lost him! She berated herself silently, but stopped when there was a series of crashes, a couple screams, and one all-too-familiar voice calling, "Sorry!" Azula grinned.

"Gotcha," she whispered. She ran into one of the doors on her left, not following the path that Sokka had taken, but instead choosing a shortcut.

That room emptied out into yet another hallway, and she grinned when she saw that Sokka was a mere ten feet in front of her.

"You are so dead," she threatened, enjoying the panicked look on Sokka's face as he glanced over his shoulders. Of course, she wasn't going to act on that threat, one doesn't usually get much satisfaction from murdering one's crush, but it was still fun to terrorize him.

The hallway ended all too quickly, in Sokka's opinion. He hesitated for a split second, allowing Azula to gain a foot or two on him, before deciding on the door to his right. He ducked in, only to be met with three solid walls, a dead end. He snarled angrily as Azula closed the door with a snap, trapping them both in.

"That's no fair!" he complained, taking one step back for every one that Azula took towards him. "How was I supposed to know there's no way out of here?"

Azula ignored his question and kept advancing on him until Sokka was backed up against a wall.

"What on Earth were you thinking?" she raged. Sokka swallowed nervously.

"That running away would possibly save my life?" he supplied, holding one hand up in a foolish hope to fend her off. She knocked it aside and held out her own.

"Give. It. Back," she demanded tersely. Sokka pulled out the small jewel encrusted dagger that had belonged to Azula's mother, having stolen it from Azula's bedside table earlier, and set it on her open palm. Her fingers closed around it, and in a split second, it was up against his throat.

"Never, ever, let me catch you in my stuff again," she ordered him. Sokka nodded as much as he could without pricking himself.

"Just don't kill me." Azula took the dagger away.

"I'm not going to kill you," she informed him. "That would be stupid. I like you much better alive."

"You what?" Sokka blinked a couple times, but his eyes caught Azula's and realization dawned on him.

"You…like me?" His only response was the soft press of lips against his own.

It was over before he could even respond. Azula pulled away, searching his eyes for some sign of rejection. Sokka smirked.

"You can't just leave me hanging with that." He grabbed her and pulled them together again. She wriggled out of his grasp.

"Nuh, uh. You have to catch me first!" Azula flung the door open and dashed down the hallway, laughing merrily. Sokka grinned and raced after her, his own laughter echoing hers.


	3. Lie To Me

Title: Lie To Me  
Song: Lie to Me by Trish Thuy Trang  
Summery: She didn't want him to leave. She didn't know what she would do about it, but she had to go anyways.  
Characters: (Do not belong to me, they are copyrighted to their original owners) Sokka, Azula, metions of Katara and Hakoda  
Rating: K+  
Words: 1,682 words

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Author's Notes:  
My third entry for Reggie's Sokkla Week, see more here: http:(2 blackslashes)ode2sokka(period)deviantart(period)com(backslash)journal(backslash)19851858(backslash)  
This one is more of what I usually write, a little bit more angsty. I want to write a sequel, though, just showing what happens on the trip, and that one will probably be a little bit brighter, but don't count on it coming out for a while, I have a lot of things I need to catch up on, as well as several stories I also have to work on. But I can probably get one out if someone wil remind me sometime soon, maybe in about a week or so.  
Also, the paragraphs are longer, sorry about that. I hate reading long paragraphs, but I can't seem to stop writing them if it's not written in a notebook.

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Azula ran through the halls, her hair flying behind her and her skirts tangling around her legs. She gripped them in her hands and held them aside, her legs pumping harder now that they were free of the cloth. Her bare feet slapped lightly against the stone floors, she hadn't had time to put on shoes before leaving her room. It didn't matter that her feet were cold, or that her breath was ragged and caught in her throat, all that mattered was that she caught him before he left.

Him, Sokka, the only person who had ever managed to make his way into her heart to create such an impact, other than her family, he was the whole reason for her midnight excursion. Just a glimpse out of a passing window was enough to reassure her that he hadn't left yet, that there was still sometime for her to catch up and…what?

She didn't even know. There was just so much to say, nothing quite right. She couldn't say, "Don't leave," because there was no point in that. She couldn't tell him she loved him, what good would that do? It wouldn't make him stay any longer, that was certain. She couldn't ask him to take her with him, she would only be a stranger in a meeting of friends, and it would be awkward to say she wanted to go see his sick father, whom she had never met. But what else was there to say, goodbye? There had to be something more than that, something that would matter more, that would keep her in his mind for the trip, but nothing came to mind.

So she didn't know what she would say, what she would do. But right now, it didn't seem to matter. All that there was for her was him, and the chance to see him off before he left. That thought gave her hope, and she sped even faster, rounding the corner and rushing out the door. The sharp rocks of the gravel path outside hurt her feet, but she didn't slow down. He was almost to the road; she could see his retreating figure with his travel back slung over one shoulder. Her breath came out in short bursts from her lungs as she tried desperately to catch up to him, the rocks under her feet slid and skidded back and forth with her speed.

Sokka must have heard her approaching, because he turned around, a surprised look on her face. She slowed down a couple feet from him, trying to calm her heartbeat enough to speak. Sokka broke the silence first.

"What are you doing out so late, Princess?" he asked cordially. His eyes roved up and down her frame, noting the nightgown and thin overcoat, the bare feet, the unruly hair. "You should be asleep."

I could say the same to you," Azula responded. "Where are you going?" she asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"To attend to my father. Katara will be meeting me there, he's very sick,"

"How long will you be gone?"

"I…I don't know." Sokka said honestly.

Azula bowed her head so that he couldn't see the tears that were prickling her eyes. So that was it then. He might be back within the next week, or it could be months until she saw him again.

"Is something wrong?" Sokka asked quietly, noticing her bowed posture. She was never this quiet unless something was bugging her. "Azula?"

She felt his strong hand on her chin, forcing her head up even as the first few tears rolled down her cheeks. He stared into her eyes, and she could see the pain and worry in them. Pain and worry, all over her. It was too much. She stepped forwards and wrapped her arms around him tightly, burying her face in his shirt.

He cautiously wrapped his arms around her shoulders, rubbing her back soothingly as she silently cried. "Shh…it's okay, it's all okay…"he said, trying to calm her down.

She just squeezed him even harder, never wanting to let go, but knowing she had to. She murmured something into the fabric that her head rested on.

"What did you say?" Sokka questioned. Azula looked up at him, but kept her arms just as tight.

"Tell me you'll be back soon," she whispered, as though afraid that if she spoke any louder it would ruin the moment. "Please, just promise me I'll see you soon.

Sokka sighed. "I can't do that. I don't know that I'll be back soon." She told her.

"I don't care. Tell me anyways. Give me some foolish hope to hang onto, something that'll help me sleep at night, knowing that when I wake up I'll be one day closer to seeing you again. Tell me you come back, lie and say that you'll always come back, no matter what. I don't care, just tell me something I can believe, something I can always remember and hold you to, even if it's just a lie." She let go of him and rubbed her eyes with one arm.

"I don't want to you leave," she finished softly. She turned away, waiting for him to turn her down, for him to just walk away and not care a bit about her at all. It would be so much easier, she could get over him, even if she didn't think she could right now.

Sokka was silent, stunned. He had never seen her like this. It wasn't quite her breaking point, no, it was more of a shattering point. He held her entire being in the palm of his hand, she knew it, and she didn't care. He could crush her hopes and dreams if he wanted to, all with a few words. He could destroy her like no one else could, and she would be powerless to stop him, but she didn't even try to fight it. It was…frightening, to know he had so much power, and frightening to find that he didn't know what to do with it. He couldn't break her apart, it just wasn't her nature, but he couldn't accept her either, not like she wanted, needed, to be.

"Why is someone like you crying over someone like me?" was all he asked. He still didn't know what to do, but if he could just hold on, give himself time to think; maybe he could come up with an answer. She didn't turn around to answer him.

"I…" she tried and failed to voice her answer. "I…I love you," she said, once her voice had returned. "It makes no sense, and I know it doesn't make a difference in anything, but I don't want you to go. I want you to stay by my side forever, or at least tell me you will. I want to hold you back, and keep you in my arms for as long as I have to, even though I know I can't. I don't understand, but having you near…I feel so much better. If I can't have you, at least I can still see you, and know you are alright, and that everything will be okay." She started crying again, her shoulders shaking gently.

Sokka still didn't move, didn't do anything. Why did she love him? There were so many other boys that were better looking, that didn't constantly fight and argue with her, other boys who loved her. Or did he? He didn't know, it was too confusing, trying to figure out how he could tell if he loved her or not. He didn't know if he wanted to spend his life with her. His heart didn't beat any faster when she was around, his brain could still think clearly with her next to him. He wanted to make her happy, yes, but that was just his nature, something he tried to do for everybody. So where did that leave him? He was still confused, and still had no answer. So he opted for the next best thing; focusing on making her stop crying.

Azula stiffened when she felt Sokka's arms wrap around her, trapping her own arms at her side where they hung useless. She titled her head back, staring confused up into his eyes.

"I don't know what to do," he whispered. "I don't know how to tell if I love you or not." She nodded, understanding. She didn't like it, but she could accept it. "I…I should go," Sokka continued. Azula averted her eyes, knowing what was coming next.

"Maybe…you could come with me?" Azula's eyes widened. She hadn't expected that, she was waiting for him to send her back to her room, back to her bed so she could cry herself to sleep while he went away. But she wasn't prepared for this response.

"I…what?" Her mouth couldn't form the words; her whole body wasn't cooperating with her mind.

"I wanted to know if you wanted to come with me. It might help me figure things out, and I don't want to leave you here like this."

Azula turned around and looked him in the face, searching for any sign of falsehood. There was none, and she slowly nodded.

"Thank you," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him once again. He let her for a moment, then pushed her away gently.

"Go pack a bag, I can wait here for you," he told her, and she turned and ran back towards her room, the tears that rolled off her face ones of joy and relief. It wasn't perfect, he didn't tell her he loved her back, but it was good enough for now.


	4. Last Train Home

Title: Last Train Home  
Song: Last Train Home by Ryan Star  
Summery: Maybe leaving like that wasn't the best idea after all...  
Characters: (Do not belong to me, they are copyrighted to their original owners) Sokka, Azula, Katara, mentions of Aang.  
Rating: K+  
Words: 1,352 words

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Author's Notes:  
Argh! I hate this one, it just wouldn't come out! And it's so out of character, even I know it's bad, I just don't know how to fix it. Gah! I'll fix it later, when I'm not so mad at it.  
Once again, there is no real timeline, so don't even bother trying to work it into the show anywhere, I doubt it'll fit.  
Sorry for my grumpiness, I've been stuck inside all day cleaning out my closet, which took forever.  
I guess the only reason right now that I'm keeping this and not just tearing it to shreds is because I don't have much time until I have to go to bed. I'm sorry, I'll fix it sometime next week, once morning tennis lessons are over...  
My fourth entry for Reggie's Sokkla Week: http:(2 blackslashes)ode2sokka(period)deviantart(period)com(backslash)journal(backslash)19851858(backslash)

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Sokka looked at the palace for the first time in two years, and he didn't know how many months, he had lost track of the exact date he had left a long time ago

Sokka looked at the palace for the first time in two years, and he didn't know how many months, he had lost track of the exact date he had left a long time ago. He had traveled the world, still overcome by wanderlust after his travels with Aang and Katara. He just hadn't been able to get used to life sitting at the palace, with nothing to do that had any real purpose, so he had left.

It was late now, so late it was almost morning, but it had been the only train he could have taken with the money he had. It was the last train that ran from that station for the night, and it had only gone so far, forcing him to walk the rest of the way. He didn't mind, though. He couldn't very well slip into the house at two in the morning, and if he walked, he could come in at a more worldly hour.

There was almost no sound as he entered the gates, just a small bubbling noise that he took to be frogs settling near the pond in the courtyard. But, as he pushed one open and walked in, he could tell it was more human. Curious, he followed it, trying to puzzle over what it was.

It came from the same courtyard that the pond was in, and the sound of the rushing water from the waterfall masked the noises slightly, but at such a close range, he could tell what the noise was. Someone was crying, strangled noises as though they tried to quiet themselves, but it didn't quite work.

"Hello? Is someone there?" Sokka called quietly, trying not to startle whoever it was. Nevertheless, he heard a small gasp, and there was a rustle of leaves as a figure pressed into the shadows of an overhang.

"S-Sokka? Is that you?" Sokka's eyes widened slightly. He knew that voice, it hadn't changed at all in the years he had been gone, and he would recognize it anywhere.

"Azula? What are you doing out here?" he asked gently, running through his mind for any other times he had seen her cry. He hadn't, and it only made him wonder what could cause tears to fall from her eyes.

"Nothing," she answered defensively. "It's a nice night, that's all." Sokka nodded.

"It is. How are things? Is everyone still the same?"

There was a rustle of cloth that he could only guess was Azula shifting position in the shadows before she spoke. "Things are doing well. Everyone's fine, we've all missed you."

Sokka didn't miss the 'we' in her sentence. "So…that includes you." There was a pause in which Azula must have nodded and then realized that Sokka couldn't see it.

"…Yes," was the hesitant reply. She still didn't move forward.

"Why are you hiding?" Sokka prodded gently.

"I'm not hiding." She was defensive once again.

"Yes, you are. Come out so I can see you. It's been so long." The tips of Azula's hair flashed in the first light of dawn as it whipped around when she shook her head.

"Azula, what's wrong? It's just me, you don't have to hide." Sokka stepped forward and dragged her by the arm out into the light. She turned away quickly, but not so quick that he didn't catch to two fresh tears rolling down her already stained cheeks.

"Why are you crying?" Sokka asked quietly. He turned her face toward him with one hand and wiped away the droplets with his thumb. "You never cry, what's wrong?"

Azula's eyes were shining, partly from tears and partly with something he couldn't recognize. Had they always looked like that? He couldn't remember.

"It's stupid. I don't want to talk about it," she told him bluntly. Sokka shook his head.

"Not an option. It has to be important if it's got you so worked up." He pulled his hand away from her face and folded it across his chest. "I can wait until you're ready."

Azula took a deep breath and let it out slowly. When she saw that Sokka was going to be true to his words, she started speaking quietly.

"I missed you." Sokka's eyebrows seemed to meld with his hairline.

"That's it?" he asked, almost surprised at how blunt the whole situation was. Azula nodded.

"You have no idea, I didn't even get to say goodbye, you left so suddenly. At first I was so mad, angry that you could just leave everyone like that, that you could leave me. I was so enraged at you, that you didn't notice that no one wanted you gone, I was even more angry at myself for letting you just slip through my fingers, without me even saying anything. But there was nothing I could do, you were already gone, and no one knew when you would return. And then there was emptiness, almost denial. I would wake up every morning and look for you down in the kitchen, expecting you to be up trying to wheedle extra food from the cooks. But you never were, and then I would remember. Tried so hard to forget, though, to ignore that I felt so much pain and betrayal, even though I knew it didn't matter. And then there was just so much pain, I couldn't hold it in anymore. To everyone else, I was the same, just myself, but when I was alone, I would break down, all the while pleading to someone, anyone, that they could bring you back. God, I missed you so much."

Azula had started speaking slowly, but as she got into it, she spoke louder and faster, as though the words couldn't wait to spill out of her mouth. She lurched forward and wrapped her arms around his waist so tight, as though she would never let go.

Sokka was stunned. He'd had not even thought that she had missed him like that, thought of him like that. It was incomprehensible, she was Azula, she would never throw her heart out to someone like this, much less him.

"I…I'm sorry," he told her, placing his arms around her shoulders and rubbing calm, soothing circles into her back. "I didn't think it would affect you like this, I didn't want to cause you any pain. I…I though about you every day while I was gone. I mean, I though about everyone, but you were the one that my mind always wandered back to. I wanted to tell you why I didn't say goodbye, because I thought it would be easier, then I wouldn't have to deal with the pain of saying goodbye to you. I was so selfish, I never thought to think it would hurt you more that way. I'm so sorry." Azula looked up at him, her eyes confused and lost.

"What are you saying? You don't mean…" Sokka nodded.

"I'm so stupid," Azula whispered. "I thought you left because you didn't care, because you hated me and thought it wasn't worth it to say goodb-"

She was cut off by the sudden press of lips on her own. There was that one moment of frozen surprise, and then she reacted, pressing up on her toes so that they were the same height. It was perfection; she had died and gone to heaven. It was her best dreams come true, all her wishes and hopes answered. It was too short, though, as Sokka pulled away suddenly. She was so confused until she heard Katara's shrill voice ring out.

"Sokka? What on Earth is going on?"


	5. Morning Wake Up

Title: Morning Wake Up  
Song: Forever and For Always by Shania Twain  
Summery: Waking up had its good and its bad sides.  
Characters: (Do not belong to me, they are copyrighted to their original owners) Azula and Sokka  
Rating: K+  
Words: 759 words

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Author's Notes:  
This one was really rushed, I did this in about fifteen minutes before my mom made me go to bed...that's why it's so short and so hurried.  
Inspired by the lyrics from the song:  
'Cause I'm keeping you  
forever and for always  
We will be together all of our days  
Wanna wake up every morning to your sweet face  
Always'  
This was always my second favorite song by her, other than Up. I used to be a big fan of her when I was younger, and just looking back on this always reminded me of how tranquil this song made me feel.  
Written for Reggie's Sokkla Week, see more here: http:(2 blackslashes)ode2sokka(period)deviantart(period)com(backslash)journal(backslash)19851858(backslash)

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Azula didn't like waking up. There was nothing to enjoy about waking up, it was that one moment when you were torn from sleep, from the only place where all your dreams could come true and you could finally be everything and have everything you ever wanted, and then you would be hit in the face with the cold, harsh slap of reality, reminding you that it was near impossible to live like you did in your dreams. So Azula always hated waking up.

Sokka both hated and loved waking up. There were always times when you were awakened quickly, times where it was a jolt to your body and mind, and you couldn't fall back asleep afterward. Like waking up from a nightmare, that is what these quick awakenings always reminded him of. But there were other times, better times than the nightmares, times that made him love waking up. When he could wake up slowly, be able to open his eyes slowly, filtering in the light so that it seemed like it was bending to his will, times when he could lay in bed and enjoy the beauty of everything around him in this newly filtered light.

It was always like that for them. Azula, stuck in the past and what she could not do, could not have, always stubborn and realistic to a point where it was almost negative. Almost, but not quite, because deep inside, Sokka knew that she always did this just to keep herself from breaking when the pain of a lie finally came crashing down, and so it wasn't quite negative, just hopeless.

Meanwhile, Sokka was always free, like the water where he had come from. Changing directions quickly depending on the situations, that was always his output. Just as a stream can flow left or right, so did many other things in life, he realized. Like mornings, always either good, bad, or just plain static. It was nice, sometimes, to not have to worry over something, knowing he had no power over it, and worrying over it wouldn't change a thing.

However, in time, things change, like the seasons, and the directions the wind blows. And, just like the way the high tide swaps out for low, so did their feelings.

Azula learned that mornings could, perhaps, work either way, both good and bad. She loved and cherished the times when she could wake up slowly and the first thing that would appear before her face would be Sokka's. It was just as good as her dreams, if not, even better, knowing she had everything she ever wanted and needed right within reach, so willing to be reached for. It was pure joy that she felt on those mornings, knowing that everything that had happened the night before wasn't just a dream as it had once been, and that he was still there, still keeping her with him forever. But there were times she didn't like, either, like when Sokka would wake her up, thrashing from a nightmare. She hated watching, almost always wanted to wake him up, but she knew that if he did wake up, he wouldn't go back to sleep, and he wouldn't talk about it either. It was better to just let him sleep through it; have him forget about it in the morning. She hated that, hated having to lie to him and say that she had slept well, hated that she could do nothing. But those nights were fewer now, and more often than not, she would wake up more and more to the feeling of joy and perfect harmony.

Sokka now hated waking up. It meant leaving Azula, starting their day and go about doing other things, things he knew were important but just didn't make him happy. If he could, he would spend all day in bed, just resting and knowing she wouldn't go anywhere, that she would always stay in his arms forever. But waking up now meant having to give up all that, it meant that they both would have to wait until the evening hours when everything was done for fall back into bed and live that perfection that was love all over again.

But, sometimes, they both knew, they would never change, they could always fall back into that bed, and forget about everyone else, knowing each other and that would be all they needed. Besides, if they both were asleep, they couldn't truly enjoy the moment anyways.


	6. Nothing To Say

Title: Nothing to Say  
Song: When You Say Nothing At All by Ronan Keating  
Summery: Zuko starts to suspect something is up, good thing Azula and Sokka are masters of keeping things secret.  
Characters: (Do not belong to me, they are copyrighted to their original owners) Sokka, Azula, Zuko, Toph, Katara, and Aang.  
Rating: T (For references...)

Words: 1,244 words.

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Author's Notes:

I both love and hate this one.  
I love it because it's just so fluffy and fun and it's just that entertaining to make Sokka and Azula squirm...  
I hate it, well, it took forever, what else is there to say? I couldn't get inspiration for over two hours, and then I had to do all the italicizing, which takes forever when you try to make the quotation marks face the right way...and then it didn't even work! Oh well. Single quotes are when they comunicate without words, in case you hadn't noticed.  
Hope you liked it! I'll edit it sometime soon.  
Written for ode2sokka's Sokkla Week: http:(2 blackslashes)ode2sokka(period)deviantart(period)com(backslash)journal(backslash)19851858(backslash)

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Sokka and Azula had agreed to keep their relationship a secret, for the time being at least. It wasn't that they didn't want people to find out, nor was it because they were afraid of what people might think. It was more a matter of whether or not they though people were ready to know. And the answer to that was obviously no.

Aang, for example, was still a kid at heart, even though he had grown so much. He just wasn't that mature enough to understand exactly what everything meant yet, and Azula and Sokka didn't really feel like being the ones to explain it to him. They'd rather not have him scared for life, thank you very much.

Katara, on the other hand, knew exactly what could happen behind closed doors, and that was why they wouldn't tell her. They both knew how protective she could be of Sokka, and risking her wrath on them both just wasn't worth it.

As for Toph, well, if they told her, she'd find some way to use it to blackmail them somehow. Either that, or she would tell everybody, and that would be worse than telling just Aang or just Katara, because then you'd have two opposite forces pulling in two different directions, and that would be hard to handle.

And then there was Zuko. He was, in a way, very protective of his sister, although he didn't show it as much as Katara. Not only that, but he also was very loyal to his friends, and Sokka was included in that group. He wouldn't be very happy with two of his most precious people being together, especially given the fact that they tended to fight a lot, and most of those fights ended in something or more than one something being broken. That, and two teenagers with raging hormones on the loose would just be too much for him to handle.

So when he called them both into his rooms, they knew something was up. They exchanged a glance before going in, declining use of words so that he wouldn't over hear them.

_'Should we tell him?'_ Sokka's eyes were questioning, and his eyebrows were raised in honest expressions of confliction. _'After all, he probably already knows, and that's why we're here.'_

Azula smirked. _'Nah, let him tell us how he figured it out first.'_ She smoothed out her features before knocking sharply on the closed door in front of her.

"Come in," was the response, and they both did so.

Zuko sat in an upholstered chair, elbows resting on the arms and his fingers clasped beneath his chin. He motioned towards the two chairs in front of him, and the two of them sat down.

"I have heard some…interesting rumors," he started. Azula and Sokka remained silent, although one of Azula's eyebrows arched in question.

"I overheard some of the staff members talking yesterday, something about not needing to change the sheets on your bed, Azula." He nodded towards her, and she opened her mouth, about to explain, but shut it again when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sokka's hands move up and down, a mime of someone trying to calm down an enraged child. The movement was small enough that Zuko wouldn't notice it, but to Azula and Sokka, who were practiced in the art of saying everything without a sound, it was blatantly obvious what he was trying to say.

_'Don't say anything rash!'_

Azula's mouth quirked slightly on one side. _'I won't.'_

"Zuko, that is completely normal. I told them not to change them because I can use sheets more than three nights in a row, I won't catch sick. They just need a break from too much laundry. I think everyone else should do the same, or you should at least give them more days off."

Sokka's shoulders relaxed a little bit, telling her, _'Good cover,'_

Zuko seemed to except it, too. "Perhaps, I should. I did notice they were taking many sick days; I may have been overworking them. Anyways, there was more than that."

Azula's eyes flashed briefly. _'Uh oh, more trouble,'_

Zuko continued. "I also heard one little girl complaining that she heard footsteps on the floor where you sleep, Sokka. Is there something wrong? Perhaps there are mice in the walls?"

Sokka almost grinned, but he checked himself in time._ 'This is almost too easy'_ "Sorry about that. I found that when I can't sleep, it helps if I take a walk, tire myself out more. I didn't mean to wake anybody up; I'll try to take a different path where no one sleeps."

Zuko also nodded this one off, looking almost relieved at the answer.

Azula's eyes were silently laughing. _'I think he was expecting something different, but he won't get it out of us.'_

Sokka's eyes flicked sideways, telling her,_ 'Of course he won't, we're too good at hiding from him,'_

"I think that would be a better idea, yes. We should try not to wake the servants up from what little sleep they get. Now, there is just one more matter." He eyed both of them cautiously.

"There was that one rumor that the cook saw the two of you kissing in the herb garden. Is there something you aren't telling me?"

The result was instantaneous. Azula turned bright red and went tight-lipped with silence, while Sokka turned red, though not as much, and started to splutter.

"What? That…that's…I…we…no, you…" He sent a desperate look in Azula's direction._ 'Help!'_

Zuko burst out laughing, looking between his sister and his friend. "You guys don't have to try to deny it; it was quite obvious from the start. Why didn't you tell me?"

Azula's shoulders slumped in defeat. _'Just give up, Sokka. It's not worth it, he already knows,'_

"Okay, so you caught us," Sokka admitted. "Now what?"

Zuko smirked. "You could start by answering my question."

Azula spoke up. "We…I don't know, it just didn't seem like a good idea. I guess we thought you would try to break us apart, or that you would tell everyone else…"

Zuko's eyebrows rose at her answer, but he knew that her thoughts were reasonable. "I won't, but only if you give me your word that you will _not_ do anything irresponsible outside of your rooms. I'd like to keep everyone within the grounds sane, if at all possible."

Azula and Sokka both turned even more red, if that were possible.

"You may go," Zuko finished, and the couple almost raced for the door.

Once outside, they spoke.

"Well, that could have gone worse…" Sokka said, ever the optimistic one.

"I suppose. Still, Zuko knows now, and that could be bad."

A shrill voice rang out down the hallway. "What could have gone worse, and what does Zuko know?"

The two of them looked up to see Toph, standing with her hands on her hips, flanked by Katara in the same position and Aang, who looked honestly confused.

Azula and Sokka shared a look of equal panic, and shot down the hallway in the opposite direction, the trio following right behind them.


End file.
